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Richard Jewell (2019)
Richard Jewell (2019)
2019 | Drama
I presume that most people have all but forgotten the crazy story of Richard Jewell and the events surrounding the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bomb. This retelling is done very well with a cast that fires on all cylinders.

There are some times that the moving gets a bit slow, but it almost has to in order to tell the story it's conveying.

Sam Rockwell deserves far more credit that he received for his role, and Kathy Bates might have been shunned for a supporting actress award, as well as Jon Hamm for supporting actor.

If you have any interest in history or events from American (or world) history, this movie is definitely worth the time.
  
Hidden Figures (2016)
Hidden Figures (2016)
2016 | Biography, Drama, History
Teaching courses on history and the relevance of film capturing historical periods, people, and themes offers me a little greater perspective when watching historically based films. I think about how much I should criticize the film based on the ways that the truths are stretched in order to placate their audiences so that they don’t feel to uncomfortable with the subject matter. Hidden Figures offers up a chance to expose American audiences to a period and historical figures that helped impact American history and allow successful space flight.

Hidden Figures discusses the contributions of African-American women at NASA — Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe). The film is enlightening and allows for audiences to gain a greater understanding of women and women of color in ensuring the success of the American Space program. The film does not exaggerate circumstances to a point where it is difficult to believe. What is difficult to believe for audiences in using this film to look at the past is that we have waited so long to recognize and honor these heroes. Without their contributions, the United States may have never made it to the moon.

The film offers adults and youth audiences an honest look into what these women faced in the forms of racism and sexism. There is no brutality of racism or violence demonstrated, but the spectre of it lingers over the film and reminds the viewer of the hardships that these women faced. They had the minds to carry out their tasks, but they did not have the right gender or color to be taken seriously, at first. The film is empowering and allows for young girls, despite race, to see that science and math are not fields that are not limited to men. Appropriate representation allows for more depth to history and the role that people of different walks, faiths, and nationalities have played in society. Hidden Figures is a timely film that allows for greater representation and may push filmmakers and audiences to discover more hidden figures in history.
  
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Dana (24 KP) rated China Men in Books

Mar 23, 2018  
CM
China Men
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book was very interesting to read. As a memoir, it was great to be able to see into the author and her family's life. I had to read this book for one of my college courses and it has been very eye-opening to see what these people had to go through, not through the history books, the laws, or even the movies that have come out about the Chinese Americans. This very honest representation of their lives was well written and full of information. There were many things that I had learned differently or, in some cases, didn't even learn in my classes until now. It was all just swept under the rug by the writers of history

This book is set up with short vignettes that break up six other stories of, mainly, the men in Maxine Hong Kingston's family. It shows the struggle of Chinese-Americans in their immigration and their becoming American citizens when they first got here. The story touches a lot on the racism that they encountered as well. When there were stereotypes, Kingston was able to spin them to give them a sort of double-consciousness. There was the negative stereotyped version, then there was also the positive version.

This was a very interesting, and eye-opening book. If you want to learn more about the Chinese American history, pick this book up.
  
I Am Not Your Negro (2017)
I Am Not Your Negro (2017)
2017 | Documentary
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Lyrical look at America's racialised society
James Baldwin was truly an inspirational artist and author in American history. He puts forward very bluntly the issues that the country faces in terms of it's attitude towards black bodies as the body is political. It's rather depressing that after 50 years the US still has not addressed these issues. It's a haunting and poetic documentary. His line about how black people are 'castrated' throughout the country just in different ways is deeply honest and deeply disturbing.
  
The Highwaymen (2019)
The Highwaymen (2019)
2019 | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Excellent
This was an awesome telling of a piece of American history. The acting and cinematography were beautifully done. Costner and Harrelson worked great together in this tale of the men who finally took down Bonnie and Clyde after their crime spree in the early 1930s. The story moved at an excellent pace leading up to the climactic finish of the criminal duo. I highly recommend this crime drama to anyone who really enjoys a good tale of criminal justice in action. Worth a watch!
  
My Way West: Real Kids Traveling the Oregon and California Trails
My Way West: Real Kids Traveling the Oregon and California Trails
Elizabeth Goss | 2021 | Children, History & Politics
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
My Way West tells the story of real kids that traveled the trails across the west. The children told the stories and through their quotes and paragraphs about how folks decided to move west—the journey across the Oregon trails, California Trails, and Momon trails.

The kids told these journeys on the trails through the images and how life was on the trails. Children will be able to learn about the life and history of the US and the Oregon trails. This book shows tragedy and how everyone came together and helped each other along the way. Children can learn about this and American history by reading this book, not of it but a good glimpse of it.

I enjoy learning about the western expansion and the Oregon trails. I am one of those kinds of readers. I was learning about history through books and how life may have been back then—the dangers of it. When reading this book, I read the quotes first and then the information on the page. Tough, you can read it by doing the significant info about the journey or the topic that was talked about and then the quotes after. It doe not really make a difference in what way you read it. I enjoy that. There is no right way to read this book.

I like the focus was on the actual kids that traveled the Organ and California Trails. The author does a beautiful job of that. This book is suitable for middle-grade readers who want to learn about American history. This book would be an excellent book to have in classrooms as well.
  
Kaya and Lone Dog: A Friendship Story
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is lovely story about a little girl named Kaya. She finds a lone dog near her village. There are something that happen and tell you have they become friends.

It also tell you a little about Naive American back in 1764. It quite a quick read but there some historical history about that time. There unique friendship that bonds. Things Kaya need to learn along with Lone dog need to learn. There something Kaya learns while taking care of Lone Dog. To find out more about them pick up the book.
  
CB
Captured by Love (Michigan Brides, #3)
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wonderful story about how life was kind of dealt with at that time. This story tell about the battle of 1812. There a lovely story about two people and their love. They have a few thing to go though. Their tail and error and you do learn about the fur trading and much more. It is really cool and fun way to see how the battle of 1812.There adventures in the book as well. It a book with leaves you wanting more. I so really would love to have read the other two books in series. I tend to do so at some point. Love history well this a book for you. Love American history this is a book for you as well. It has Romance in it as well. It's a great book all around.
  
CB
Captured by Love (Michigan Brides, #3)
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wonderful story about how life was kind of dealt with at that time. This story tell about the battle of 1812. There a lovely story about two people and their love. They have a few thing to go though. Their tail and error and you do learn about the fur trading and much more. It is really cool and fun way to see how the battle of 1812.There adventures in the book as well. It a book with leaves you wanting more. I so really would love to have read the other two books in series. I tend to do so at some point. Love history well this a book for you. Love American history this is a book for you as well. It has Romance in it as well. It's a great book all around.
  
Genteel Secrets
Genteel Secrets
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ever wonder what it would like to be a part of civil war or at the beginning of it. I have been interested in my own country’s battles and the war over slavery. That would be the Civil War that takes place in my America history.

I was have been born in the northern part of the civil war. Making me not have slaves. I would not be a slave owner. To me that owing other human beings is something which never happened. I am not one that ignore the fact that it happen though.

I would have let slaves be humans but that me. I know about my civil war in my American history. Genteel Secrets is about a woman that is forced to be a confederacy spy. It tell as story of someone that is against slavery but is born in the south and raised with slaves. It also tell the story of a Pinkerton detective.

The author does a good job portray what Washington and what some folk trying to help the south and some important events and people with helping the South win the Civil war. They seem to be against the government and Lincoln.

Will a northerner and Southern belle be able to survive and live a happy life? You will need to read to find out. If you are into American history this is also a good book to tell about south culture and a bit of the beginning of the Civil War.